The Countdown to the restart of the economy has begun.

[Joe Guy]

Anyone here ever wear Air Jordans? Would they be worth standing in line for? I have never stood in much of a line for anything and think these shoes would have to do the walking for me to entice me to stand in a line like this.

I suspect that you might look a bit out of place in that group.

[Long Run]

By "you" Joe is referring in the colloquial plural to pretty much everyone here.

[Econoline]

Texas restaurants that reopened at partial capacity last week have a choice to make: Whether or not their employees should wear masks.

One restaurant company landed on a decision that has some employees weighing their safety versus their jobs.

No face masks or face coverings of any kind.

That's what a back-of-the-house employee at a Hillstone Restaurant Group establishment in Dallas was told last week, as restaurants prepared to reopen at 25% capacity, according to CBS Dallas.

That employee, who did not want to be identified publicly, expressed discomfort and was told to think about it—and then was removed from the schedule, the employee told CBS Dallas' Brooke Rogers.

Another employee said some agreed to work because they were offered a 40-hour work week, but were told if they declined, they wouldn't be eligible for rehire.

The employees said management also told her that face masks don't complement the restaurant group's style or level of hospitality.

Infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Diana Cervantes called Hillstone's decision concerning.

The restaurant management seems to be unaware of the fact that the primary reason for an individual to wear a face mask is TO PROTECT OTHER PEOPLE FROM INFECTION.

I think they should put a large sign on the door, to inform prospective customers before they come in:

WE'RE OPEN
AND WE DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH!

IF YOU'RE TIRED OF NOT BEING INFECTED WITH COVID-19
COME ON IN!

ETA: TODAY'S SPECIAL: NEW YORK STRIP STEAK

[BoSoxGal]

How stupid - obviously patrons have to remove masks to eat, but presumably many will be sitting at tables with family members and close friends who they swap air with anyway. It’s profoundly stupid to have waitstaff swapping air in close proximity to dozens of patrons each day - perfect virus transmission scenario.

[dales]

Everything is bigger in Texass!

[Joe Guy]

Hi, my name is Tex and I'll be your server today

[Econoline]

Texas governor slammed after being caught on hot mic admitting his reopen order will worsen the pandemic

[Darren]

(U.S. population ≈328,000,000) x (~0.70 for "herd immunity") ≈229,600,000 cases x 0.0025 ≈574,000 deaths.

The doctor must have been unaware of the 30% to 50% found with antibodies in Chicago. That will depress the mortality rate.

So it seems that the UPMC doctor you quoted so approvingly before doesn't meet with your approval after all? I'm sure that comes as a great disappointment to Dr. Yealy.

I can't believe he didn't check with a real expert like you before going public with his statement. You should probably call and remind him to check with you for all the true facts before he opens his yap again.

The doctor gets it.

I was a bit surprised he was onboard with a smaller percentage as evidence we're developing herd immunity. That's great info coming from someone who has worked with COVID-19 patients.

Maybe the media message of a higher percentage needed for herd immunity is bogus. We'll know in a few weeks.

[Econoline]

It still looks as if you have no understanding of what "herd immunity" actually means, or how it is achieved.

https://www.sciencealert.com/why-herd-immunity-will-not-save-us-from-the-covid-19-pandemic
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/from-our-experts/early-herd-immunity-against-covid-19-a-dangerous-misconception
https://hub.jhu.edu/2020/04/30/herd-immunity-covid-19-coronavirus/

P.S. We don't even know yet how much and how long an immunity results from being previously infected (or even if any immunity at all results, for that matter).

[Darren]

"Dr. Ramin Oskoui, a cardiologist and CEO of Foxhall Cardiology, reacted on Tuesday to a study that found a new coronavirus mutation reportedly mirrors a change that occurred as the SARS virus began to weaken, saying, “it’s well-known that as viruses progress, they typically mutate to weaker forms.”

“The phenomenon is known as ‘Muller’s Ratchet,’” "

[Scooter]

[BoSoxGal]

Nothing shows up and when I try to open it, it asks me to download the image first. I don’t know if it’s wearing a condom, so no go.

Can you post it again or save and upload?

[RayThom]

BSG, how about this?




or this:
https://img.buffalonews.com/eyJidWNrZXQ ... VyIn19fQ==

[Darren]

[Scooter]

95% of unattributed statistics are pulled out of the ass of the person quoting them.

[Big RR]

I can't vouch for the specific number, but I think it's a reasonable estimate; if been following the situation in Sweden for a while.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Norway and Denmark had lockdowns and their death rate is 4 or 5 times better (lower) than Sweden's. Not so clever now, those Swedes eh?

[Darren]

Norway and Denmark had lockdowns and their death rate is 4 or 5 times better (lower) than Sweden's. Not so clever now, those Swedes eh?

Unless you're planning on giving lots of people plasma transfusions containing COVID-19 antibodies, herd immunity won't develop w/o exposure.

[Big RR]

Meade--That is true as well, and they are beginning to remove those restrictions. Of course, the SSwedish death toll (adjusted for population) is still lower than the American one, even with our "lockdown".

[Scooter]

I can't vouch for the specific number, but I think it's a reasonable estimate; if been following the situation in Sweden for a while.

I was referring to the claim that 40,000 deaths were expected, a number that would constitute almost 4000 deaths per million (i.e. 4% of the total population), an utterly preposterous number obviously invented to make the actual death toll appear minimal by comparison, when in fact in relation to its Nordic neighbours, the death toll in Sweden has been nothing short of a catastrophe.